As a leader, you learn that one of your jobs is to manage exceptions. After all, an organization is designed so that processes and procedures handle the normal course of affairs. The exceptions are what the manager has to worry about – they are what happen when things don’t go as planned.
As a Christian we also often worry about the exceptions – the times that we don’t walk according to God’s way. Unfortunately it’s these exceptions that are what often cause people to accuse Christians of hypocrisy. They, like we, recognize that we are inconsistent at best with our adherence to God’s standards. And like a boss, it’s these exceptions that we are focused on managing.
However, in the Bible Daniel gives us a different perspective on this. For him, the only way that his enemies could accuse him of wrongdoing was to focus on his commitment to God. He was so honorable that they had to create a law that made his regular devotion unlawful. For him, the exception to following the king’s edicts was when the edict violated the commands of God.
Could you imagine what that would be like if people couldn’t find anything to “accuse” you of except the fact that you were deeply devoted to God? If the only way they could condemn you would be to focus on your commitment to the Lord? That would be noteworthy. That would be exceptional.